My invention relates to a route control system for railroad interlockings. More specifically, the invention pertains to a route oriented interlocking control system with no switch indication or control function at the control office and which prevents the establishment of an undesired route after an inadvertent improper control console operation.
Many railroad terminal installations, e.g., combinations of receiving, departure, and classification yards and service facilities, have one or more interlocking locations to route trains into the proper track for handling. These are distinct and separate from any switching matrix for the classification yard. Since speed of train movement is restricted, e.g., slow, through such track layouts, non-vital movement indicators can be used to authorize a train to proceed but vital switch detector locking is still required in the field. Thus a simpler or more direct interlocking control is possible and desirable. A route type control system is also desirable, since it is more efficient to select and set up the entire route by the operation of one or two control devices to quickly align routes for successive movements. This also relieves the operator of the control of individual switches and signals. The sectional release of an established route as a train traverses the layout allows the earlier selection and alignment of the next required route which may conflict only in certain portions. One requirement is then to allow the operator to make route selections easily and to automatically release an established route quickly when its use is finished to enable the selection of another route. Another problem is to avoid aligning incorrect routes due to an inadvertent operation of the control devices. For example, an operator may improperly actuate two entrance devices prior to actuating a selected exit control device, or may inadvertently actuate two exit devices simultaneously. If such action occurs, the system should automatically reset and thus inhibit the establishment of an undesired route. Such features are also applicable, at least to a considerable degree, to the control of main line interlockings.
Accordingly, an object of my invention is an improved route control system for railroad interlockings.
Another object of the invention is a railroad route interlocking control system in which the control location requires no switch machine control or indication elements.
A further object is an interlocking control system which is route oriented and allows sectional release of established routes.
Yet another object is a railroad interlocking control system which is route oriented, with all switch controls and indications located only at the wayside stations.
A still further object of my invention is a route control system for a railroad interlocking with non-vital movement indicators, route locking, sectional release, and with all switch control and indication devices only at the wayside with vital detector locking.
Yet another object of the invention is a route type interlocking control system, with route selection, by sequential operation of entrance and exit end push buttons, stored in stick relays, with a communication link between control office and field locations to transmit stored route selection to the field, where all switch apparatus and locking is located, and route selection, movement indicator, and track occupancy indications from field to office.
An object is a route oriented interlocking control system with push botton selection and/or control of run around or alternate routing with individual switch control levers.
Still another object of my invention is a route oriented control system for railroad interlockings with automatic cancellation of stored route information if improper control machine operation occurs.
Also an object of the invention is a control system for a railroad interlocking layout with automatic cancellation of route exit and entrance storages if more than one entrance or exit location is inadvertently selected at the same time during control machine operation, so that an undesired route is not established.
Other objects, features, and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following specification when taken with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.